Throwing is an essential part of pretty much every fighting game that is out there. Many new players wonder how to break the defense of an opponent who simply sits there and blocks -- that is where throwing comes into play. Throwing allows you to inflict a small amount of damage but is unblockable so this is a great way to keep your opponent guessing.

Furthermore, most games have command throws which will differ from a standard throw. For instance, Makoto in Street Fighter 3 has a Choke Grab/Karakusa which is considered a command throw -- it sets up combos rather than putting the opponent on the ground like her other throws.

Beyond that, most games have multiple throws depending on which direction your input on the joystick. In Capcom games it's typically pretty straight forward -- if you press back and throw you will get a throw that tosses the opponent behind you and a forward throw will either put them infront of you or toss them into the corner.